Writer's Block: Taking It Personally

[velvetaj]

Ha! The MBTI - that's what I do for a living. I'm an INTJ and that's actually not what comes up on my results but what I've determined for myself.  It certainly suits me.

I was working in a field that forced me to work outside of my preferences for a long time, which had a significant impact on the way I responded to the questions. This happens

Comments

[firelily]

Whoah...I had no idea that's what you did for a living! How does that work...who are your clients, exactly? Sounds like an interesting thing to do.

[velvetaj]

I'm a career counselor at a university. I teach a class on career development every term, where we do various assessments including this one, and interpret results for individual students and groups. It's fascinating. I could go into private practice if I wanted to, but that involves far more self-promotion than I am capable of! I think it would bug me if that was all I did.

[firelily]

Wow! That class is so exactly what I felt was lacking in my undergraduate education. I feel so very strongly that EVERYONE should have to take a class like that...and also one that teaches you exactly what jobs and what salaries and what opportunities are really out there in your field, and what you're supposed to do to reach them. I feel like I was given no guidance at all (even though to be fair it was my fault as well since I didn't really seek any out) and just thrown out into the world without a clue. I wish they would make the career development classes mandatory!

I still feel like I'm clueless, and I'm almost 30. Heh...guess I haven't come very far...

[velvetaj]

I hear that comment from students every term: "Everybody should have to take this!" The problem is, they'd need 20 people to teach the courses each term, and there's just now way. The thing is, I'm at work every day from 8 to 5 ready and able to answer their questions. What can they do with a degree in Biology? I can show them how to start researching. What's a reasonable salary expectation? I can tell them, but more importantly I can teach them how to find this information. It's not secret! How to write a resume/network/interview/negotiate? We hold programs every term on those issues

[firelily]

The problem is, they'd need 20 people to teach the courses each term, and there's just no way.

I guess I never thought about that part of it. I still think it would be a good investment for schools to hire more teachers like you, but I understand that that's just not going to happen. It'd be a great benefit to students, but it's an "extra" thing that just isn't practical.

And guess what? Only 20% of the entire campus has ever come in to see me, used our website (full of useful links and information), or participated in a program.Oh yes, I completely know that there were a wealth of resources out there that I just didn't take advantage of, and that's totally my fault. I think I just naively thought that I didn't "need" that kind of help, and I realized a little too late that I couldn't figure it all out myself. I don't know if that's what keeps most people from seeking out your services, maybe they're naive like me or maybe they're just lazy. I don't know, but you're right...so many more people should be coming to you guys and

[velvetaj]

I'm feeling much better this morning! Yes, the students who do come see me tellme they've gained something from it, and they tell their friends. When a faculty member invites me to a classroom I will get several follow up appointments with students afterwards. I have seen a significant uptick in appointments this year because of the economy, and I think it's a good thing. About the only upside to the current state of affairs is a generation of students realizing they can't be complacent anymore, or wait for the perfect job

[firelily]

About the only upside to the current state of affairs is a generation of students realizing they can't be complacent anymore, or wait for the perfect job.

If I could go back and tell my younger self one important thing, it would be that I should have been much less complacent. People always tell you in college that you "have time" to figure it all out, but I really think that's pretty much bullshit. I think students should really be figuring this stuff out as early as possible, and I wish I had known that when I was young and foolish. Now all I can do is not waste any more time.

And yeah, I should totally contact my career services office because I'm pretty sure that they do help alumni. I had planned to do that years ago, actually, and it just never got done. Can you tell that I have a major problem with procrastination?! Obviously I need to work on that first of all, and not rely on other people to tell me what to do, but getting guidance would be a good move on my part.